Black In Our Hearts
by Clockwork's Apprentice
Summary: Henrietta Boone, born into a famous and powerful American syndicate, is set to an arranged engagement with Ritsu Kasanoda. Too bad Ritsu didn't get that memo.
1. Prologue

**Title:** Black In Our Heart  
 **Summary:** Henrietta Boone, born into a famous and powerful American syndicate, is set to an arranged engagement with Ritsu Kasanoda. Too bad Ritsu didn't get that memo.  
 **Genre:** Romance/Humor  
 **Rated:** T  
 **Disclaimer:** _I do not own nor claim Ouran High School Host Club. I do own OCs.  
_ **Notes:** Chapters will be longer.

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

 **Henrietta Boone**

The Boones are a legacy- our family name is forever etched into American history, not necessarily in a good light since it's American _mob_ history. When mobs first became a more _noticed_ thing in the 1920s, our name was the first to come out. Because we're smart and plan ahead. To become the best in the business, become one of first in it. We want people to know that we are out here and what we do. We want people to fear and respect us. Back then, that's exactly what they did and it's what they still do considering we've only gotten stronger and better since then. We were the ones who established our right to lead through manipulation, respect, fear, bribery, and murder. Everyone has blood on their hands. My uncle. My great-grandfather. My aunts. My father… Even me.

We're brutal. We take no shit. We are one the toughest ones out there for a reason. We're efficient. There is always at least one body a week someone has to take care of. It's not my business to know the who and where of it all. Though I guess the where of it is Wally's business considering he's the leader of the clean up crew. No mistakes. No traces back to us (at least, no legal traces – nothing solid that can be used in the court of law). We're powerful. We know the biggest guys out there since we are one of the biggest guys out there. We are not afraid to use this powerful position to our advantage and we are not above blackmail as well as other aspects to get our power. We're _proud._ We are the Boones. We are feared and we are strong. _Disrespect gets you dead._

Hell, my own father made sure to raise me to be the best. He taught me from a young age what to do to survive and to use your brains as well as your brawn. You have to be sneaky, tough and bold in a business like this. He raised me to be a politician- learning what to say and how to say it. No direct disrespect but don't be scared to give a few backhanded comments. Yet he also raised me to be a living weapon. I had my first gun when I was only six. I could shoot it perfectly by age ten. I was trained in different marital arts to protect myself and even knife throwing. I am a weapon…

But I am a woman too. Because of my sex, Father kept the fact that I'm a girl pretty hush-hush. After all being a girl in this business can lead to a few mishaps we'd all rather avoid. Mostly because people would likely disrespect me and as I said before, disrespect gets you dead. We'd rather not have twenty or so bodies a week to clean; though it'd be good news to Wally since he'd be getting paid. My black hair is short and messy, my face is a bit meaner, toughened by the scars, and it doesn't help with my dark stormy gray eyes. I wear a binder to hide my chest and I'm always wearing a pinstripe suit (the buttons of the jacket undone and opened). Few know that I'm a woman; everyone knows me as the _'son'_ of Al Boone and heir to the Boone legacy. Though the plus side is that I can go undercover as a woman when needed pretty easily- acting, makeup and hair extensions do wonders.

Many call me the Black Dragon- a feared nickname for the fearsome 'son' of Al Boone. Dragons are sly, sneaky. They are tough. They are graceful, but they will cause you to _burn_. Fitting really. Of course people who claim to be the Black Dragon, going as far to even copy the black dragon tattoo on my back, are quickly _disposed_ of. Those are people I handle personally and it's not long before anyone who was associated with them learns who the real Black Dragon is.

My family, consisting of only myself and my father, live in a town that could be best described as hell to most and paradise to others. It depends on whose holding the gun really. My father runs the underworld of the town and let's just say the underworld expands pretty far here. He discretely is in charge of the whole town really- the mayor being one of his 'friends.' Crime happens often, but rarely is actually solved. Cops slack on their duties and are easily bribed off. Newbies quickly learn how things work around 'ere. Not that anyone really cares what goes on. Even people in nearby towns learn pretty quickly that you don't dip a toe in our waters without losing your foot.

Our territory expands over many of the districts and counties of the state. However, we 'indirectly' have men and territory all over the country. We're known as one of the most powerful mafias and we're not afraid to show just how much power we have. Our connections expand as far as Japan. Father's own personal friend- I'm not sure of the first name, all I ever called him is Kasa, short for his last name Kasanoda- is a Japanese mafia boss whose relationship to my Father goes back to before I was even born.

Kasanoda has contacted me personally several times. He's one of the few who know my identity as a girl. When I was young, he had the honors of giving me my first sword. My lessons with it began shortly after. He tells me stories about his son Ritsu occasionally, though I never hear from Ritsu personally. According to Kasanoda, Ritsu is about my age. Kasanoda gives my father advice, which my father usually returns later. My father tells me that he likes the guy, but he doesn't trust the guy. In this business, you never trust anyone- trusting gets you killed. However, Kasanoda is also the one who got this whole 'arranged marriage to join our forces' idea into my father's head. As the obedient offspring I am, I accepted it without question.

I am Henrietta 'Henry' Boone.

I am the Black Dragon.

I will soon be the wife of Ritsu Kasanoda.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

* * *

 **Henrietta Boone**

Japan is different to say the least. The good news is that as soon as I enter through the gates of the Kasanoda estate, I feel a sense of home. It reminds me a bit of the estate back in America, though this is obviously not as Western. It just has that aura that says _trespassers get shot, survivors get shot again._ I like it. I can even feel the small smirk that threatens to form on my face just from the vibe this places gives me.

The bad news is that everyone is looking at me. They don't even try to be discrete. What scum. Everyone knows if you want to stare at someone, do it slyly. Do it as if you know something they don't. Don't just stand there flabbergasted and slack jawed. I square my shoulders and straighten my back, puffing my chest out with pride. I stand up. Back home people know not to stare at me. Staring usually makes people lose an eye, or even a finger. Occasionally, I'll make them do it to themselves, giving them my knife to do the deed, but usually I prefer to cut it out and off myself. I finger the knife in my hand, twisting it over my knuckles. These people will learn the same lesson.

The men staring at me seem unsettled- good. I glare at them mildly and adjust the strap of the backpack I'm carrying. The backpack carries my essentials- a few personal weapons, some clothes, money. Kasanoda, or rather Kasanoda-san now that I'm in Japan, said that everything will be provided for me which is why I brought only essentials- if he doesn't live up to his word, I'll still be fine. Pft. Who am I kidding? If he doesn't live up to his word, there will be a lot of anger on my part. Anger that will be channeled into at the least an argument and some political trouble.

I stare a bit at the entrance. The towering red gate frames it elegantly in a way only the Japanese could pull off. If we had a gate like that back home, I think we'd be the laughin' stock. Hell, we'd probably go into a whole different business if we had a gate like that.

"That's Boone-sama," one of the men whispered as I linger in front of the gate, " _The_ Henry Boone."

I'm glad that some of our men are Japanese. They are the ones who taught me Japanese when I was little. According to Dad, Japanese is one of the languages you have to know to survive in the business since Japan has some of the most powerful syndicates. China too – another language that I happen to have up my sleeve. Now it comes as naturally as English. Though my Spanish is a bit shaky. Dad is better at languages than I am. Though it doesn't matter. Daddy dearest isn't here, leaving me by myself. Which is fine by me, less annoyances.

"I don't think so," another one snarls slightly, "There is no way that that pipsqueak is him."

I feel my fingers twitch in annoyance, my face distorting into a scowl. Calling me _pipsqueak_ is possibly the worst thing to call me. I may be a bit smaller than other mobsters, but as the saying goes, I'm just concentrated badass. I remember there was a guy at a bar back in America who called me _pipsqueak._ He lost his balls. Quite literally, I may add. With a deadly glare, I turn gracefully to face the one who _dared_ to call me such an insult. I may not be the tallest, but I sure as hell can prove I'm the strongest. The guy who spoke looks me dead on, not even fazed by my glare, while the others around him take a few steps back, giving me apologetic bows of their heads as if their apologies mean anything to me. They don't. The only apology I would even think about accepting right now is from the asshole who called me out.

Without even flinching, I fling my knife at him. It lands a few inches above his head, embedded at least a centimeter into the wall. The rest of the guys have all disappeared to a safer distance away, flinching whenever they caught my gaze.

"One," I count off, not offering any sort of verbal explanation.

He has three chances. Maybe even less if he pisses me off. He just snorts as if I somehow amused him, crossing his arms over his chest, unafraid of whatever I may do,

"Heh. Some _Boone_ ," he adds a mocking tone to the name, "you missed."

Swiftly, I take the knife from the inside of my jacket, one of many that lay hidden in there, and throw it at him.

"Two."

This one lands only a few millimeters away from the top of his head, cutting through a few strands of his hair, but otherwise offering no harm. Like the first, it's embedded into the wall with strength. He doesn't look so cocky now. He falters and gestures his hands, unsure of what to say. I narrow my eyes slightly, a bit fed up with this game. Better to just end it now. Politics be damned. I may have promised Dad to be on good behavior, but this, technically speaking, _is_ my good behavior. Bout as good as it gets anyway. I take the third knife and aim it at his head. If I throw it, it'll grow straight through his forehead.

"Do you want to see what happens when I get to three?"

He shakes his head frantically, stuttering over a formal apology before scattering away like the cockroach he is. Pathetic. These men need training and fast. Really, what type of guys don't even draw their weapons after having a knife thrown at them? Granted, if they drew their weapons, they wouldn't have it for long, it would at least prove that they have fast reflexes. Though now that the guy is gone, I'm free to turn around toward the other men of the Kasanoda syndicate with a cold look in my eyes.

"Make no mistake," my voice borders on shouting, but it has an edge to it that's sharper than any knife, "My name is Henry Boone. As an ally and as a boss, I am a saint and miracle maker. Any of ya disrespect me, go against me, or worse, you will think I'm anything _but_. Next man to insult me will lose his tongue and I will personally cut it out myself…."

I let the threat dangle in the air briefly, watching the horror on their faces. A few of the men run their tongues over their lips as if they are frightened they may lose it soon. I mean each word I say. I do not tolerate disrespect, insults or betrayal. I have cut out a few tongues, forcibly and without help, before and I will not hesitate to do it again. Fear, I've found, is one of the quickest ways to gain respect. Loyalty, however, will come in time when they see just how good of an ally and a leader I can be. After a moment, I speak again,

" _However,_ " I gain their attention instantly, "Should you treat me with respect and follow my words as your ally, we will have no issues. Watch my back, I watch yours. I leave no loyal man behind."

Those words are just as true as the first. In the business, you can't expect to run on fear alone. True loyalty comes in time when they realize that you care about them as much as they care about you. I am not the best at _caring,_ but I do know how to protect the other guy's back. I will give my life for Dad any day.

I start walking towards the building, never faltering in my steps as I walk with pride, my neck long and head held high. The gleam in my eyes causes a few of the guys to back away a bit uneasily. I don't blame them after what just happened to what's-his-face. The others are the only ones brave enough to at least not leave. Instead, they stand up straight and bow to me formally. Heh. Good choice. I decide I like them the best.

"Hello young lord," they say formally.

Oh yeah. I almost forgot about that particular detail from the earlier excitement. They don't know I'm a girl. While I may be 'engaged' to their boss's son, they aren't aware of it. Hell, Kasanoda-san told me straight up he isn't telling his son about my true identity as a woman or as his future wife. It was agreed between my father and Kasanoda-san that no one should know my true gender or true purpose for coming. This was agreed upon for several reasons. Reason one: so Ritsu and I may hopefully bond as allies and possible friends first. Reason two: With my true identity as a woman being secret, no other man in the syndicate can try to 'woo' me over. As if that even has a possibility of happening. Reason three: with the engagement a secret, Ritsu won't have despise me on first sight and the men won't get weird. Reason four: my father and Kasanoda-san apparently share the same sense of humor. While I do not share that sense of humor, I will do as told by my father- until I have a reason not to.

I give them a look that tells them that I acknowledge their greeting along with a small nod before I continue on my way. I spot an older gentleman up ahead and walk toward him. There is no mistaking who that is. Even if he's a bit smaller than I remember, he still is the same man I knew as a child and he still looks exactly like the pictures in my father's office. The same reseeding hairline. Same narrowed cautious eyes that gleam with a bit of mischief. He doesn't look like a mafia boss. But I guess no one ever really does. Best to catch people off guard.

I reach him and bow deeply with respect. He nods at me and gives a small bow in return. He walks away without a word. Damn old man, not so much as a hello? I try to keep my scowl off my face. No need to offend anyone this early into my arrival after all – at least not someone as high up as him. After a few seconds, I huff and follow him slowly. There's no hurry. Though my hand rests where another knife is hidden in my pants' leg. I have about two others in my jacket, ranging in size, as well as a loaded gun.

I survey the area as he leads me away from everyone else and into a what seems to be a private room. There are several portraits on the wall, most look old, but there's a recent one of him. Decorations, which aren't that important, but I suppose I could use the vase as a weapon in short notice. Exits are to the north and west. Window to the east. All are possible exits to take. I suspect the window will be the best way out as the men are more likely to enter through the doors. They didn't look like the smartest bunch so I suspect there won't be many, if any, by the windows if I were to suddenly jump through it. I notice the swords on the wall and the knives that are lined up in a showcase. Letter opener on the desk – heavy paper weight too. Trophy on the shelf. Pft. Better weapons than the vase that's for sure. Though I don't really like how close he is to the swords on the wall. He could easily grab them and attack should things go awry. If that happens, I will have to quickly duck. Possibly roll under the desk and trip him up. Or just jump straight through the window. If he attacks from above, I can dodge and hit whatever side of him is open. If he attacks from below, a trip up would be the best.

He sits down and motions for me to sit as well. I keep my face impassive. Not moving. Sitting down can be a trap. Any sort of trap really. Possible hidden straps or restraints. It would take longer to get through the window if I sit down. Take longer to just react in general. So no. I'll stand here. It's the best option. Even if my shoes are killing me. I barely even watch him as he looks me over with a judgmental look. If I wasn't used to so many others giving that look, maybe I would feel small. But instead my shoulders just stiffen and I stand even taller. I will not be small in his presence.

Finally, he smiles.

"Well look at you, little Henry. Even prettier than the pictures!"

I nod politely, humming a bit in reply. I'm well aware that Father often exchanged pictures with Kasanoda-san. Honestly the mere fact that Father can be so unprofessional sometimes when it concerns Kasanoda-san astounds me. Well no. It pisses me off actually. Sending pictures can cause anyone to trace back to me or him. Not only that but pictures can be handed over to hitmen, assassins, mercenaries and who knows what else? I mask my mild irritation and Kasanoda-san continues to smile.

"Now on to more pressing matters. There is much to be discussed."

No shit Sherlock. I keep silent with my arms locked behind my back, standing like the solider at ease that I am. _Daddy's perfect little soldier. Do as told. Don't go off orders._

"I believe the first thing to be discussed should be engagement," he continues, "particularly yours. I assure you that my son is a good man. Softer than most in our line of business."

I tsk slightly. How pathetic. Weak. Useless. Just an embarrassment actually. Being weak in this business is nothing to be proud of. How can he say that as if it would impress me? Still, I listen to him as he continues.

"However, I hope that you can toughen him out. Teach him more of the harsher ways of business. Now don't get me wrong, my son can be tough when needed. He has the face of a hellhound."

He lets out a small chuckle. Hellhound, huh? I wonder if that's true or just an exaggeration. It impresses me more than him saying his son is soft, that's for sure. I don't care much for appearance so the fact that my future possible husband may look harsh isn't a problem. After all, how can I be hypocritical when I have my own scars that some people consider _hellish_ or _scary?_ Though the thought of an actual hellish face causes a bit of interest. It could even be attractive in its own right.

"Hell, even at his school they call him the Walking Blizzard," he says this with pride, "They say if your eyes meet his, you have bad dreams for three months. If you bump into him, you end up in the hospital. Talking back to him sends you into an early grave…. I'm quite proud of his reputation."

Interesting. Bad dreams for three months? Ending up in the hospital for just bumping into him? Sending someone to an early grave? Sounds like me. But he called his son weak, but now he says something like this? Perhaps his version of softer is different than mine. Perhaps he can do all those things and still be _soft_ in his father's eyes. If that's the case than this guy must really be an actual hellhound. I can't wait to see what Ritsu actually looks like. Tall? Intimating? Rugged? Does he have black hair like myself? Or something all together different? I try to keep down the smirk as a small bubble of curiosity washes over me. I can't wait to see what my _fiance_.

"You have every reason to be," I say politely and sincerely, dipping my head slightly.

That has to be the first truthful thing I have said in my life. It really is impressive and I can't help but still compare it to my own reputation. In America- No. In any place where there is a mobster, I'll be damned if they _don't_ know my reputation as the Black Dragon. But if his son can do all that and be _soft_ then I need to up my game. Maybe if I take out some sort of enemy of theirs? End up on their good side. No. That'd be bad since I don't know what this guy's plans are for said enemy and ruining what he has planned could end up on his bad side.

As if reading my thoughts, Kasanoda-san smiles.

"You have quite the reputation yourself, _Black Dragon_. They say the same things about you as they do about my son… Though I have to admit, you are much nicer looking than my son!"

He bellows out a laugh and I force a smile to please him. Being compared to his son, as far as appearances go, isn't exactly flattering. But it's not necessarily an insult and he seems to be genuinely trying to make a joke. Almost like how Father does. If this guy is insulting me, this would be a different story. After a few seconds, he calms down his laughter.

"Ah- ah, now, for your engagement… Tell me what you expect from it."

He wants an honest answer. I have to choose my words carefully. I don't want to insult him in his own territory. I have a few get away plans in my head, of course, and I could get away, but not before getting wounded. After thinking for a moment, I finally have an answer that is honest and professional.

"I expect to gain an ally in which I can join with."

Simple. To the point. Honest. But not revealing the fact that if I didn't have to be here, I wouldn't be. I would be some place in Florida _,_ sitting on the beach with a drink in my hand, getting my tan on. A vacation. A much needed vacation that I was actually already planning before I was whisked away to here. I silently, very briefly, mourn over the loss. I was really looking forward to tanning on the beach without fear, under one of the many aliases I have for myself.

"And do you expect to fall in love," he prods me, leaning forward slightly with interest.

Tsk. Love is _nothing._ Love stabs you in the back without a warning. Love is a bedtime story for little kids, just a fairy tale and nothing more. And like all original fairy tales, it's filled with nothing but just horror. Love _kills._ Simple as that. My face twitches slightly just at the mention of it and for a brief moment, I think of one of my ex boyfriends. Despite being just eighteen, I think I've lost count of how many people I've slept with, but my ex was…. Different. He was one of the few to know about my actual identity. Though it sure as hell wasn't because I told him. My chest twinges in a brief moment of pain before I shake all those thoughts out of my head and turn back to the current situation.

"No, sir," I say politely, "This is simply a negotiation between our families."

Which is true. That is all this is. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just a business arrangement, which is something common in our business. I marry his son. His son marries me. Our mafias are joined and we both get something out of it- more power being the main thing we gained. The only part that makes me slightly twitchy is the thought that we may have kids in the future for the business. Heirs. It's not that the idea of having sex is unpleasant. I'm just not a kid person. The last time I talked to a kid, I made them cry and that was when I was actually trying to be nice to them.

But my answer seems to please Kasanoda-san as he gives me a small nod in agreement, leaning back into his seat.

"Good, good. It's only business after all. Nothing more and nothing less. Now, onto the arrangement of your living quarters and schooling."

I sit a bit straighter. I barely even register the fact that the way he says _it's only business_ sounds a bit suspicious like he has something else planed. I'll have to keep an eye and a hear out to watch my back in case he really is planning something. But the second part of his comment causes me to shift slightly... Schooling? I wasn't told anything about schooling. Father only vaguely mentioned about getting proper education, but I didn't really think he meant _school._ Training with the men maybe, but not actual _school._ I lean forward, slightly interested as he continues to speak.

"Your father arranged for you to stay at Ouran Academy. It's a very good school, the best of the best. As you know, we agreed that Ritsu will not know of the engagement nor of your gender so that he may become an ally first. Therefore no one at the school will no your gender as well- the chairman will know, but the files have been highly secured so no one could possibly find out that you are woman. Further more, you will be going to Ouran Academy under an alias, not only is it for your protection, but your father didn't wish for complications to arise should someone actually find out you are a girl. Aside from that, the name of the Boone family is popular even here- the police would be sure to watch you closely. You will be attending as Henri Gale, that is Henri with an _'I'_ instead of _'y'_. The cover story is that your family is secluded, but close to the Kasanoda family. Your father wished for you to attend Ouran Academy with your childhood friend, Ritsu Kasanoda."

I nod, digesting the information. Henri Gale is a new alias. I recall all past alias I have used- Jennifer White (woman), James Collar (man), and Ray Jefferson (nonbinary). All of them with their own backgrounds, own personalities that take acting to a whole new level. Considering I don't really care for gender myself, nor do I really care about the gender of whomever I sleep with, going as an alias with a different gender identity is actually rather easy to pull off. Though I was going to use _Jennifer White_ for my trip to Florida. If anything so I can wear that black swimsuit I have packed away. I think I brought it with me here, actually, but I can't be too sure.

He takes a breath before continuing,

"While the name of the Black Dragon is famous among us in Japan, the appearance is not therefore I feel you have no need for any disguise. Now, your father mentioned that you wouldn't like the school uniform- something about the color blue?"

I scowl openly just at the mention of it. Fucking blue. It just… I hate it. Blue is not a color. It's not even a strong concept. Black, gray, silver, red, green- _those_ are colors. Strong colors that are sure to stand out. They have attitude. Personality. They are _powerful_ colors. Fucking blue is the sky, water, it's peace and harmony. That is not strong at all. It's weak. Pathetic. And just fuck it.

Kasanoda-san looks mildly confused, briefly furrowing his brows, but he continues.

"The chairman is making an exception for you to wear your suit- as long as you wear it appropriately, of course. You will start school tomorrow. Now for living arrangements. I expect to see you at diner every night precisely at six. You will have Tetsuya as your guard- he is the only one here aware of your gender and passes no judgment. His order is only to protect you."

I tense slightly. I'm not sure what offends me more. The fact that they think I need some sort of pathetic bodyguard or that they lied to me. They said it was a complete secret. That is not secrecy. I don't like being lied to. _No one lies to me._ I feel my fists clench slightly, but I keep my cool. Like ice, my eyes harden as I raise an eyebrow calmly.

"I believed my gender to be a complete secret."

My voice is like daggers, cutting through even the toughest steel. I can see his face pale as he hears my tone. I can see the fear in his eyes. The way he is shifting in his seat. How his Adam's apple is bobbing in the middle of his throat. I could easily just take my knife and slit it. Politics and rules be damned. You don't fuck with a Boone. You don't _fucking lie_ to me.

"You believed correct," Kasanoda-san says quickly, trying to backpedal, "However, Tetsuya is my most trusted man. He is young, but he is loyal. He is also a good friend of my son's that could make a good ally as well as help you in having Ritsu as an ally. I assure you that he has no idea about the engagement. Like every one of my men, including my son, he believes you are here to conduct business with myself and believes that you are here simply to ensure that I am loyal to your father. They are all ordered to treat you with nothing but respect and to follow your orders as well."

I nod, pleased with the information. For him to share his power with me- to give me control of his men- shows that he is loyal. It almost makes up for the fact that he lied to me, causing me to relax ever so slightly. Of course he could just be saying those things. It could all be a lie. However, I am inclined to give him the benefit of doubt. If anything because Father trusts him so much and he is a family friend. A close one at that. But I will still keep my eye out because despite giving him the benefit of doubt, I will not trust him nor his men. On the off chance he is telling the truth, I will be rather… pleased. Surprised, but pleased.

Father did wish for me to make sure that Kasanoda-san is remaining loyal as well. It is a second motive to my mission so to say. What Kasanoda-san speaks is the truth, just not the entire truth. However, the name Tetsuya strikes a cord of familiarity. _Tetsuya,_ I realize, _Tetsuya Sendo. A rival syndicate. Interesting that he's working here._ If he is a spy, I will not hesitate to kill him if he reveals my true gender to his family's syndicate. If he is a spy here for no other reason than to report to his family, I will… _interrogate_ … him. After all, if this will possibly be mine in the future than it's best he doesn't mess it up.

There's a knock on the door and with Kasanoda-san's okay, the door opens. A young man about my age walks in. His long blonde hair in a ponytail and his face looks a bit too kind to be in this business. Pft. Just who is this softie? He doesn't look like he could hurt a fly, nevertheless a person. There's no defined muscle definition, nothing. I may have a feminine body, to a degree anyway, but at least even I have toned muscles. This guy is… pathetic.

Though Kasanoda-san seems pleased at the man, grinning slightly as he gestures for the young man to walk in.

"Ah Tetsuya. Please show Henry to their room."

You have got to be kidding me. This is Tetsuya Sendo. The fucking Sendo that's supposed to be guarding me? The fucking Sendo that is from one of the most fucking hardcore syndicates. Well fuck me over. He doesn't _look_ like he can be anything more than a kitchen boy nevertheless a son of one of the syndicates.

"Yes, Kasanoda-san," he bows deeply and turns to me with a bow, "I am Tetsuya, I will be your guard for your stay. I will keep you safe to the best of my ability."

 _And when that is not good enough, I will keep myself safe,_ I add mentally before nodding. Well there's nothing to change the fact that this is who will be 'guarding' me. So I may as well as at least act civil.

I bow slightly to Kasanoda-san and as soon as I am dismissed by him, I follow Tetsuya through the halls.

We pass a few of the men, who made a passing formal greeting. Most looked terrified as they did so. Aside from that, it's mostly in silence. A tense one at that. I can tell that Tetsuya is slightly uncomfortable from the way he glances at me, but aside from that he does a good job at masking his feelings with a fake formal smile. If I look closely, I can see the way his fist clenches and unclench as if he isn't sure how to behave.

Though I wonder where Ritsu is. I mean it's a bit rude to not show up to greet me. Almost offensive. As if he can't be bothered to meet me when I arrive. I keep the snarl off my face, trying to maintain my calm facade.

"Where is Kasanoda Ritsu," I ask, recalling to say the last name first.

"Young Lord is at school. I suspect you will meet him during diner, Lady Boone."

At that moment, we stop. He bows to me briefly before he opens the door, introducing me to what will be my new bedroom. I hide the displeasure of him calling me a lady in the open as he gestures for me to enter. I step inside, being sure to keep facing Testuya. It's stupid to turn your back on someone who may be an enemy. The room is a traditional Japanese bedroom. A bit different than what I'm used to, but it's nice in it's own way. I suppose learning the culture here will take a while and this is just the tip of an iceberg.

"I will be keeping a close eye on you, Lady Boone. Not only for your protection, but for the Young Lord's as well. None of us want him getting hurt."

I turn back to him briefly, hearing the underlined threat in his words causing my eyes to narrow slightly. He smiles, but his eyes show a threatening glint in them. The knife goes from its holster to my hand. I will not cause trouble, not this early anyway. I did promise Father I would try to be good. Pft. Good for me anyway. I briefly wonder how upset Kasanoda-san would be if I were to put a knife in Tetsuya's hand. For a moment, I just twirl my knife between my fingers. How easy it would be to just… _No trouble,_ I remind myself. My knife goes back to my hostler and I notice how his gaze never left it. When his eyes come up to meet mine, I settle for glaring.

"Choose your words carefully, Sendo-san," my voice comes out lacking any emotion, "I don't react well to threats nor talking back and be sure not to call be any female pronoun or title in public."

I chose to use his last name to show him that I know who he is. Father briefly did some business with Testuya's father if I am remembering correctly and if not for his close ties to the Kasanoda syndicate, I dare to fear that I might have been arranged to marry Tetsuya instead. The Sendo syndicate is almost as harsh as the Boone's. Like us, they are known for their tough ways. Though they are more brash and impulsive which makes them unpredictable and can be more dangerous in itself. Though it also makes them more prone to make mistakes that can be easily taken advantage of.

I am the Black Dragon and I fear _no one._ Nevertheless _him._ By threatening him, I show him that. He gets the hint. I can see it in the way his eyes widen slightly and there's a small step backwards. He seems surprised at first before he just smiles with a bow,

"Of course, Young Lord. I shouldn't be so surprised that you knew who I was as I believe our fathers did business. Most here do not know of my family ties and I do plan to keep it that way."

Pft. If I wanted to say something about it, I don't think he could stop me. I wonder, however, if he is a spy or if he just left willingly (as stupid as that sounds). If he is a spy, my previous aggressive thoughts stand strongly. But I don't say anything and as expected, he gives an answer to my question without me verbally asking.

"I left my family because they are too harsh for my liking. I like it much better here."

He seems honest. Yet any good liar knows how to seem true. But there's something there. In his eyes. Emotion that I could never portray, emotion that no liar could ever hope to fake. It makes me believe him. For now. I nod at him slowly,

"Very well. Do not interfere with my business and I will not interfere with yours, Tetsuya-san. Please alert me when it is time for diner."

He bows at me again and shuts the door on his way out. I take the bow as a yes as I scan the room myself for any hidden cameras. There's only one and there is a lot of blind spots with it. Interesting. Security either really sucks or Kasanoda-san knows better than to put too many hidden things in my room. Either way I will be checking under every surface, every potted plant for any bugs that have been planted. I will not take any chances. But I can do that later when everyone is asleep.

For now all I have to do is wait until diner. Then I will meet Ritsu Kasanoda.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

 **Henrietta Boone**

Diner is precisely at six, which is to be expected. If he had said to be here at six and not shown up, I wouldn't be the happiest person. Not that I'm happy anyway. I sit at the table across from Kasanoda-san, but the son has yet to show up. My shoulders are squared to make myself appear taller than I actually am and my face reveals no emotions. I'm a weapon, I repeat to myself, and weapons do not have emotions so I shouldn't. That is what Father tells me.

Tetsuya is standing in the corner, hovering in the background as he sweeps the floors. Despite the harmless appearance, I could see the sharpness in his eyes as he glances over occasionally. He's watching. Good to know that I at least have an apparently observant 'bodyguard.' Aside from him, I can spot at least five other men that are hovering nearby by the doors, standing at attention. A few have the balls to look my way, but they don't look for too long.

The food is on the table. Not that I can tell what it is since it's hidden by the silver covering over the plate, containing not only it's smell but it's appearance. We haven't touched it. Kasanoda-san insists that his son will be home any minute, but I see the way he looks at the clock and at me wearily. Apparently his son's tardiness is making him nervous and I don't blame him.

"Father," a gruff voice calls out from outside, "I'm home!"

I hear a few greetings of 'hello young lord' from the men. Must be Ritsu Kasanoda. His voice sounds rough and deep. It has a rugged edge to it that's a bit pleasing to hear and I can only hope he appears as mean as he sounds.

A young man steps in. A blue jacket is over his shoulder along with a backpack. He wears black slacks with a yellow vest and white shirt. His red hair is slightly long and I think I see part of it in a ponytail. His eyes are golden- if I have to admit one good thing about him it's that his eyes are quite nice. They're sharp, but there's a softness to them that says that he's not as tough as he looks. Pft. Though just like Kasanoda-san had said, his face overall is gruff and slightly mean looking.

He looks at his father briefly and then he looks at me in surprise as if just noticing me. Rather rude and my fists clench slightly before I remind myself to relax. Here I am a weapon on guard, but I have no need to fight. Yet. Kasanoda-san stands up, obviously relieved that his son has finally shown up.

"Boy," he says, "You recall me telling you about us getting a visit from the heir to the Boone syndicate. Meet Boone Henry. Henry, this is my boy, Ritsu. Ritsu, I expect nothing but the uttermost respect towards Henry."

He steps aside as I stand to greet his son. Ritsu and I bow politely to each other, but he's eying me cautiously. Though he can't seem to look at me for too long as his eyes dart away. I don't waver with my stare, but at least I am not too obvious about it. This is my soon to be husband? He may have the look, the roughness, but he is no killer. I guess I can't be picky, but at this point, I'd rather have Tetsuya and make connections with the Sendo syndicate. Besides at least Tetsuya seems like he can fight despite his leaner appearance.

We all take our seats at the table and Kasanoda-san motions for the covers to be removed. Almost instantly, a few of the men in the back step forward to do so. Not one looks at me as they take away my own plate's covering to reveal the food. I quirk an eyebrow when I notice what I'm eating. I was expecting something more traditional. Not that I necessarily actually like fish and things of the sort, but I would have eaten it. Instead, there's a Western dish in front of me. It seems to be some sort of meat loaf. It looks appetizing, I'd admit that much, though I can't help but wonder why they would make some Western dish like this.

Kasanoda-san lets out a chuckle.

"I thought that a western dish may make you feel more welcomed."

Ah. That makes sense. It's pretty… considerate… of them. I suppose. I dip my head briefly in appreciation, a silent thank you for the meal. Out of the corner of my eyes, I notice Ritsu. He's looking back and forth between Kasanoda-san and myself, but his eyes linger on me. It's like he's trying to decide if I'm worth this trouble, worth his time. I look him directly in the eyes calmly, but my fists clench slightly in offense. Thankfully my glare is enough for him to break his gaze and quickly start eating. Content that he's not staring, I look down at my plate. Using the fork, I start to poke at it slightly. It would be rude not to eat it. But it's also potentially dangerous if it's poisoned or something. I have to take the precautions necessary. Bringing the fork up, I look over one of the bites closely, looking for anything out of the ordinary before I sniff at it.

"It's not poison- if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't make it so obvious that I'm the killer," Kasanoda-san chirps with a laugh, "Please dig in."

He has a point. There are better ways to possibly kill me that will be less obvious. If he poisons me, Father will know and there will be hell among the mafia. No doubt that he'd send some of his best men to take care of Kasanoda-san, which would be brutal. After a bit more of observing the food, I finally deem it's not poisoned since I don't really trust his word on it. A bit more confident in my chances of staying alive, I start to eat. Oh God. It's delicious. I almost want to groan from how good it tastes, but that wouldn't be professional. But I have no doubt that my eyes have lit up from the taste. I can't remember the last time I've had decent food like this.

Silence fills the room, making it slightly uncomfortable but not unusual as most of my meals are in silence like this. Though there is usually a lot less staring and a lot less tension. I don't really care for the staring since I'm too content with the food. But I do notice Kasanoda-san keeps looking at me with a hint of something in his eyes- he's anxious. Ritsu keeps looking over but looks away quickly.

"How do you enjoy it," Kasanoda-san asks politely.

"It is delicious," I admit, "My compliments to the chief."

A wave of relief shows on his face- perhaps he was worried I wouldn't enjoy the food?

"Of course," he says, "I will be sure that he knows how much you enjoy his cooking. This was his first time cooking a Western meal such as this so I am sure he will be happy to know it pleases you."

Ah that was why he was worried. It's the chef's first Western meal, if it ended up being unpleasant it would be an embarrassment to the Kasanoda's. I nod to myself slightly in thought and Kasanoda-san clears his throat. He leans over and whispers something to Ritsu, causing me to glance at them from the corner of my eye. Despite straining my ears, I can't tell what they are saying. What are they up to? A plot to kill me? A way to interrogate me? Or is it something more pleasant, God forbid. Ritsu seems shocked and his face turns red, but at his father's insisting, he finally just huffs. Huh. I wonder what it is… He finally just turns to me, not looking me in the eyes as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"So you wanna go kick the can or something?"

Kick the can? The words echo in my mind. I stare at him a bit blankly, unsure what it is. It sounds vaguely familiar. Some sort of interrogation method maybe? Sounds similar to the term you use when someone dies- we say swimming with the fishes, do they say kick the can? A small spark of excitement ignites within me. I could interrogate someone using my methods. Show them how it's done. Maybe even get a bit of blood on my hands- pity this is my favorite suit. Toughen him out and learn what they do to people who crosses them. I nod, trying not to show how eager I am. Ritsu faintly smiles before it goes away as he stands up and motions for me to follow him. I glance back to see Tetsuya following. Good. What bodyguard would he be if he didn't follow? Though through the corner of my eyes, I see Kasanoda-san looking vaguely surprised as if me accepting the offer was a shock to him.

* * *

…Kick the can is not an interrogation method. It is not any form of torture (…well it's kind of torture). What the hell is going on here? Where's the blood? Violence? My hands twitch as I try to not let the irritation show. My knife is actually useless for… whatever this is. It's… It's a game, I think. I'm not too sure what to make of it- a mafia son and his men playing some sort of childish game. Do they do this often? God forbid, is this normal for them? I just… I don't get thrown off guard many times. It's rather hard to do so, but for the first time in a long time, I remain speechless for the beginning portion of whatever type of game this is. Not wanting to appear stupid, I am joined in the game without admitting that I have no idea what I am doing. I better figure this out fast. Shit.

I stand off to the side and watch as one of the men start to count with his eyes closed. The men are hiding so I suppose I should hide too. But where to hide? The shadows are where I can work best so that's where I go. I lean against the wall and let the shadows consume my form. I'm in a good enough place that I can still see what everyone else is doing. Ritsu is hiding over in the corner with an amused expression- Tetsuya is in a spot between him and me. Observing them, I'm still not sure how this game is played. It seems a lot like hide and seek with a can thrown in for the heck of it. Really, what's the purpose of the can? Is it a base like in tag? Are we supposed to kick it or something? Suddenly Ritsu runs from his hiding place, heading straight from the can. Do I follow? No. Not now. I don't want to make a fool out of myself. I watch as Ritsu is able to kick the can as hard as he can. The can flies through the air, heading straight in my direction with a fast speed. Heh. Good kick. With that sort of strength, you could kick someone into submission. Calmly, I step out of the shadows, causing the men to look at me with absolute horror. They don't really think I'll just let that can hit me, do they?

"M-Ma!"

I calmly grab the can with an impassive expression and crush it in my hands. Too easy. I'm sure catching it at that speed has caused a bit of damage to my hands, but after years of training with Father, I can't really feel anything. I glance briefly to see the red sore spot that has formed on my palm. I toss the can easily to the side, flexing my hand. It'll likely leave a bruise, but I feel no soreness nor irritation. A part of me wonders what pain is like and if I'll ever feel it again. A strange sense of longing, almost melancholy, briefly rises in my chest and I swallow it down before it can form into something. What I don't know. I just don't like it.

"My apologies, Boone-sama," Ritsu says with a red face and an exaggerated bow, "I didn't know you were there."

His men follow suit, bowing and apologizing. I don't know why they are apologizing. Really, it's not like they were aiming toward me. If that was they case, this would be different. I'd be beyond offended and unafraid to do lash back. I don't know how I feel about the fact that they couldn't see me. It either means that I am that good, or that they are that bad. I don't know which I prefer and what's the reality.

* * *

Several games of kick the can later, I find myself in the guest room. The game was… interesting. Just interesting. It wasn't fun. Not by any means. Amusing in its own right, maybe, but it's troublesome. Everything I observed leads me to one conclusion – these guys are just… childish. That's all they are. Big, overgrown children. They seemed to actually be enjoying themselves during the game – to some degree at least – despite the fact that the whole thing seems to be my fiance's idea. How can the Kasanoda syndicate be so powerful – feared even – when this is what has become of their men? How can Father have such a strong relationship with these guys? How can this syndicate benefit us in anyway?

I pace through the room as I try, and fail, to gather my thoughts. I just can't seem to wrap my head around it. It doesn't make sense. Why would Father arrange my marriage to him? Everything that was shown to me during those games lead me to think that my fiance is just as weak as his men and that just won't do. His father says he's soft, then goes onto to say what his reputation is but that reputation just doesn't match what I witnessed during that game. That game showed me nothing but a boy who wants friends – someone who, dare I say it, is just a lonely kid.

I run my fingers through my hair in a huff. I hope – no, I pray – that things are different at the school. That all I just saw is just how he is with his men, all of whom at least seem unbelievably loyal to the Kasanoda's. At school, maybe he will live up to that reputation his father told me about. Maybe he gives other students hell. Maybe he has his own drug ring or gang there. Maybe Ouran Academy is a tough, gang-related school, one whose students are all criminals and Ritsu just happens to be the biggest, baddest one there. I take a deep breath. Yeah, that has to be it.

The second I hear the knock at my door, I swirl around, drawing my gun and aiming it directly at eye level toward the door. I'm not fully dressed, due to the late time, my suit is already discarded. I'm left in just my underwear, forgoing the binder for a bulletproof vest that still hides most of the curvature of my chest, but it still reveals too much to hide my gender. The curves of my waist, hips and feminine roundness is all too visible. The warm temperature of the room makes it a bit too unbearable to sleep with too many clothes on, but I refuse to be completely helpless if I'm caught off guard in the middle of the night. Besides, my gun holsters, and my knives, are visibly attached to my inner thighs and are in easy reach.

All the rest of my guns are stretched out across the bed roll in neat rows and columns. A few that have been taken apart, or are in the middle of being reloaded, are put aside. Various knives and daggers are also in rows near the guns, neatly organized by size, along with a rag, polish, and a few tools I use to sharpen them.

"Who is it," I call out sternly.

My fiance can't find me like this. It'd cause too much trouble than I'm willing to deal with. It can't be any of Kasanoda's men – aside from Kasanoda himself or Tetsuya – for more obvious reasons. If it's one of his men, I'm sure Kasanoda won't cause too much trouble if I shoot them where they stand. If it's a one time occurrence and I make up a story about defending my honor (which is half-way true), it won't be an issue. He'd understand that I have to uphold my reputation. Still, I'd rather avoid it if it's not necessary.

It's quiet for a moment before finally, a voice speaks out.

"Tetsuya."

Good. I won't be spilling blood tonight, unless Tetsuya is up to something. I lower my gun, but don't put it back in its holder, "Come in and close the door quickly behind you."

Can't exactly risk anyone else seeing me. The door creaks open slowly as Tetsuya steps in. He's smart, at least, and closes the door immediately behind him before he turns to look at me. His eyes widen as a small flush forms on his cheeks as he lets out a small cough, turning his head to avoid looking at me. I raise an eyebrow as I hostler the gun with a sigh.

I can already feel a headache forming, of course he's a fucking gentleman. You've got to be kidding me.

"I'm not going to gauge your eyes out, though I might if you don't look at me when I'm talking to you."

The flush on his cheeks gets worse as he tries his best to keep his eyes directed at my eyes.

"My apologies, I forgot that -"

Forgot that I was a woman - few people know in the first place, yet that's still something I seem to hear too often for my liking. I don't like to dwell on why that bothers me.

"-Don't." I state simply, "Just get on with business and tell me why exactly you're knocking on my door."

I have to give him credit, he never once lets his eyes drift to other parts of my body. Though he does glance toward the weapons on my bed. Though the flush on his cheeks still give him away.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," he starts, "But Lord Kasanoda wanted me to remind you that you will need to be ready at seven in order to leave for school. The young lord typically walks to the school, but if you prefer we can have a limo ready for you in the morning."

"I'll walk."

Tetsuya shifts on his feet, "Ah - very well then, I will inform Lord Kasanoda of your decision. Have a - have a good night, Lord Boone."

Satisfied that this has been handled, I turn my back to him. I pause slightly and look back to see him still standing there, his face brighter than before. He's not exactly looking at my eyes anymore, but he's quick to advert them and duck out the door, muttering apologies and goodnight's.

Heh. Guess he won't be forgetting that I'm a woman for a while now.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

* * *

 **Henriette Boone - Henri Gale**

My alarm clock blares in the middle of my morning routine, one arm behind my back with the other's palm pressed flat against the floor holding my weight, mid-push up. Guns are already spread across my bed sheet, alongside my uniform. A thin layer of sweat dots my face, but there is a damn reason that the alarm wasn't to wake me up, just warning me of the day coming ahead.

I'm too my feet with ease, turning it off on my way to the thankfully private shower. I'm mildly surprised at the lack of sunshine through the windows, but it seems like today is going to be a fairly bleak one. The sun's appeared to be shying away behind some dark, shadowed clouds that threaten of an oncoming storm. Good thing that superstitious thinking is on the bottom of my priority list.

It only takes me five minutes to shower. Another ten staring into my reflection as if I'm going to see anything else staring back at me. Another five stretching to loosen the stiffness of old wounds and scars. Two minutes drying well enough for clothes and another three to actually put them on. Another five to strap on my knives and a small hidden handgun on my ankle. I'm out of my bedroom in half an hour on the dot and I didn't expect me to take any longer. There's no reason to.

What does take me longer, however, is actually finding Ritsu, I can't seem to find him anywhere in the premises and none of Kasanoda's men are brave enough to even be in my general area long enough for me to ask - brave they may not be, but at least they're smart.

"You were late to breakfast," a voice casually chimes.

From the corner of my eyes, I see Tetsuya sweeping the hall as if he hasn't just insulted me. I raise an eyebrow, "That would imply that I had any intention to go to breakfast. I told Kasanoda-san to not expect me."

Tetsuya doesn't look at me, but it doesn't seem to be from fear. He merely shrugs with a hum, "I don't believe the Young Lord got the message then. He assumed that you changed your mind about walking with him and headed east on his own."

Then I have a few words to 'the Young Lord' about assuming things about someone he just met - especially when that someone is me. I give a nod of thanks to Tetsuya along with a brief note that if he's been told to clean to not bother with my current room. Something about his demeanor tells me that he had no intention to do so, but is smart enough to not comment about it. Good.

I head out of the estate with a brisk walk and after a small glance, turn left, and spot a head of red hair disappearing into the distance.

"Oi!"

He stops and turns. From here, I can see his eyes widening as if he didn't expect to see me, followed by a sheepish flush. I calmly walk toward him and I can see that each step I take, the more he seems to get flustered. At least he can acknowledge his mistake.

"If you have a guest who says that they wish to join you, the polite thing to do is to wait. Or at least check in with the guest to make sure that they're still coming instead of vanishing."

"M-My apologies, Boone-san," Ritsu dips his head, but I take the chance to smack the back of it.

He growls and sputters, but I interject anything he can say, "Don't call me that in public. If we're not at the estate, my name is Gale Henri. Remember the cover, we're supposed to be childhood friends, or at least our families are so act like it."

I leave him sputtering as I continue to walk past him. When he doesn't seem to be catching up, or moving in general, I briefly glance over my shoulder, "Come on, Ritsu-kun. We got a class to get to, don't we?"

His lips thin and he briskly catches up to me easily, easing into a position beside me. We fall into an easy rhythm of silence. I keep my eyes focused ahead of us, but my ears open. I don't fail to notice, however, the way that Ritsu keeps glancing at me from the corner of his eyes.

"If you got somethin' to say, say it," my eyes still stare straight ahead, "Don't keep me in suspense."

"Sorry," he apologizes, but I merely scowl and raise my hand to hit him upside the head again.

"H-Hey, would you quit doing that?!"

My stride never falters, even when his does slightly. My eyes don't even glance toward him as we talk.

"Stop being an idiot and I might," I snort, "Your the heir of the Kasanoda syndicate, don't apologize to anyone for anything, got it?"

"S-" He starts then stops abruptly. "-Got it."

I nod approvingly, pleased that at least he's learning. Though it seems we have quite a walk to the school, which leaves us plenty of time to 'catch up.' Yesterday, instead of playing that ridiculous game, we should have been talking things over on how to make our cover story more believable. If someone finds out we're not really close friends, they can start to question how we really know each other. If that happens and they dig their fingers into enough pots, they could find out that I'm a Boone. Which could complicate things and cause a more bloody scene than necessary.

But now? Now we have time to discuss details.

I nod approvingly, "Good, then I got a question for you. Do we still use the honorific of -kun if we're supposed to be so close?"

He pauses for a moment before he answers, "Not really, when you're supposed to be real close to someone, honorifics are usually dropped, unless it's a nickname."

"Do close friends usually have nicknames for each other?"

He shrugs, "Depends on the person and how strict the family is. Sometimes only people that are family or can be considered family would have nicknames for each other."

I hum a bit in thought, "Childhood friends would likely have nicknames for each other then. We want our story to be believable, don't we?"

He doesn't seem to get it, causing me to sigh. "We need nicknames for each other if our story is going to be believed. I don't want anyone questioning it and you shouldn't either."

He snorts, "Somehow I don't think that'd be a problem. Not many people around here even want to be seen with me, so I doubt any of them would even get close enough to know whether or not we're telling the truth."

I hope that the people steer clear of him out of fear and respect. Hopefully they'll do the same for me, if they don't, I'll make them.

"Still something to consider. I suppose we should also discuss some minor details about each other then. It'd raise suspicions we don't know much about each other and there's only so far that acting can go."

 _"Acting_ ," Ritsu mutters under his breathing, his eyes downcast, " _Acting, right…_ "

"Perk up, _Red_ ," I test the waters of that nickname, "You're supposed to be hanging out with your best friend, remember?"

"Alright, alright," Ritsu stands up a bit taller, "What do you wanna know?"

"Basics first, details later," I summarize, "Favorite things, anything significant that your best friend would know then anything significant that's happened to you that's relatively well-known."

"You first."

 _Ballsy, huh?_ I smirk a bit and consider telling him lies, things that I would remember that wouldn't give too much away, but on the other hand, eventually we'll be married. It wouldn't bode well if my to-be-husband's basic knowledge of his wife is a lie.

"Favorites, red, homestyle biscuits and country gravy and any food remotely related to Thanksgiving - American holiday -, the number six, the 1873 Colt Handgun. Anything only a best friend would know, well you know the truth of who I am and I think that's enough."

"Fair enough I guess," he frowns, "I like the color black, tempura, gardening, and animals. I think only my best friend would know that I don't really like being in the mob and that I don't have any friends because of it."

I feel a bit nauseous, my face turning into a deep scowl as frustration builds in my chest at the very fact that my father set me off to marry some softie who apparently doesn't even like being in the mafia. It's a joke, a -

"-And there is something that happened at school you should know about, a while ago, I went to this club at school hoping that they could make me appear less scary and somehow or another, the entire school body thinks I'm gay as a result."

That causes me to stop mid-internal rant as I raise an eyebrow at him. Seeing his beet-red expression and flustered appearance, I can't help but snort. Something akin to a laugh building in my chest. I'm not sure if it's the fact that he actually went to someone for help ( _what a fucking idea_ ) to gain friends of all things or the fact that he managed to convince an entire school he's gay by doing so. On one hand, if he is then it could work in my favor in more than one ways.

For one, if he is gay, then our marriage may go smoother than I thought it would. It wouldn't bother me if he even had a few boytoys on the side as long as it doesn't interfere with work.

On the other hand, if he isn't (I wouldn't quite do it to him if he were, wouldn't want to build his hopes up too much - I try not to dwell on _why_ I care), we can play off this 'gay' card. Take the rumor in stride and then when we do eventually marry or if word gets out about our engagement, it wouldn't shock the school or anyone else for that matter. No one would question it if we were 'friends from childhood' and him being 'gay' is already common knowledge. Sure, some folks may be against the marriage for more 'traditional' reasons, but they still wouldn't question it enough to go digging for the truth and find out things that could ( _will_ ) get them killed.

" _Red_ ," I put my arm around his shoulder, catching him off guard as he lets out a small yelp, "I have an idea…"

* * *

 **Let's just see how their idea is going to bite them in the ass later, huh? Reviews appreciated.**


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

Ritsu isn't sure about this, but to be fair, he's not sure about a lot of things, such as why Henry even suggested this crazy idea in the first place. He's not quite sure why he agreed to it either. Oh yeah, because Henry insisted that if they have to pass off as real, childhood friends, then they have to play it up.

They didn't strike Ritsu has the type of person with a sense of humor and that's what this has to be right? A joke? Some sort of prank? He's sure that Henry knows that he's not really gay - at least he doesn't think so - so he doubts that it's for that type of ulterior motive. But there has to be some sort of motive here that he doesn't see.

Either way, he finds himself walking into Ouran Academy with Henry's arm casually on his shoulders. They give glares to some of the other fellows that look their way and happily gives cheeky winks to the girls. Ritsu, however, can't even focus on anything other than the harsh warmth on his cheeks.

"Why are you doing this," he whispers harshly, but Henry's grin doesn't falter.

"Because it's fun, _Red._ "

 _And because if they think we're together then it'll make our engagement announcement easier to swallow._

"Besides," Henry's voice lowers, turning more somber, "We're supposed to be close friends and close friends are affectionate with each. Besides, it doesn't hurt to brush up on your acting skills, Red."

Acting. Every time Henry mentions that word, some part of Ritsu feels, well, shitty. Somehow, he thought maybe there is some sort of chance that it isn't all an act, but Henry is sure to make it clear that they don't really particularly care to have friends. He can't imagine that Henry would feel lonely, but he can't exactly see them being one hundred percent okay with the idea of not ever having any sort of companionship. One that doesn't involve the mask that they're currently wearing.

Honestly, it is a bit unnerving with how easily Henry can slip into this sort of character, one that's so drastically different than the how they are at the estate - unless that too is a mask, but Ritsu really doubts that. He's already confided in Henry about not wanting to be in the mafia and Henry's showed no real signs of feeling the same way.

"Unless you want them to think we're dating," Henry suggests, "It'll get you a lot of attention, if that's your thing."

Attention? He's not sure if the crowd of fangirls really count as the type of attention he really wants. It's not as if any of them actually want to be his friend anyway.

"If you really want friends," Henry's mask of a smile doesn't fall, but Ritsu can see their eye twitch at the mention of having friends, "Then you man up and take what you want and do what's necessary. If they think we're dating, then the fangirls may be more comfortable with actually talking to you instead of just whispering and blushing."

Still not the same thing as actually having friends, but he has to admit it's a start. He shrugs slightly, giving the okay to Henry. Henry nods in confirmation and he tenses as he feels Henry's arm move from his shoulder to his waist, bringing him in closer. They whisper softly into his ear and he tries to ignore the shiver that runs down his spine.

"Don't worry, you don't exactly have to give me a kiss goodbye for class."

His flush deepens as he sputters for a moment. Maybe he should have told Henry that here, couples don't exactly do that much public affection, that's partly why they've driven such a crowd.

"You really think girls will talk to me if they think I'm in a relationship with another man," Ritsu asks softly.

"It softens you in their eyes, makes you less scary," Henry shrugs, "Don't really matter to me either way, but I can play a pretty mean jealous boyfriend."

Personally, their original plan was to make everyone fear them to stay out of their way, but this was too good of an opportunity to pass. Besides, who would think that the great Black Dragon, The Henry Boone, would be this affectionate, carefree fellow whose open with their sexual orientation? And if it's one thing Henry knows, it's how to hide their identity by whatever means possible. Though them 'dating' would be preferred, make things easier and smoother, and they have no idea if it really will make girls more okay with talking to Ritsu, but if one little lie is what it takes...

They give Ritsu a small wink, mostly because they can see all the girls closely watching them. If they were a softer person, they have thought the flustered blush and stuttering that's becoming quite constant with Ritsu was cute.

"Alright, fine," Ritsu begrudgingly agrees, "But don't threaten any girl talking to me and don't go all psycho on anyone like you did my men. I don't need anything scaring anyone off."

So no knife-throwing acts and no scaring off the girls. Henry can live with that. For now. Unless a girl, or anyone, gives them a reason to, they'll keep threatening anyone talking to Ritsu to a minimum.

Henry shrugs, "Deal, I don't have enough knives on me to do that anyhow."

* * *

The twins are the first to spot them, even stopping mid-conversation with Haruhi to stare. Haruhi, confused, turns to see what grabbed their attention so quickly and grins - she has to admit that she's rather happy that Ritsu finally has someone. She knows how much he's wanted that. Though, she doesn't recognize the girl with him - at least, she's fairly certain that it's a girl, until she actually talks to them, then there's no way to know what gender they identify as.

They're a bit on the shorter side, but don't seem to have any problem with only coming up to Ritsu's chest and it certainly doesn't seem to stop them from having their arm around Ritsu's waist - that is a bit unusual, in Haruhi's opinion, usually the male is the one to have his arm around the girl, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. They have dark hair, almost a shade of blue in the right light, that's scruffy looking and messy. Their eyes are dark too, with the slightest hint of red that matches their red pinstripe suit. They certainly look the part to be on the arm of a son of the yakuza.

"I didn't think Bossanova was actually gay," Hikaru comments, leaning against his twin, who nudges him slightly, causing him to yelp, "I didn't say anything was wrong it! I just didn't know, jeesh."

"I don't think Ritsu knew either," Haruhi muses, "He seems pretty flustered, but then again, their partner seems to be pretty open with their affection."

She watches as said partner leans against Ritsu shamelessly, eying the girls with interest and glaring at the boys who meet their gaze. She can understand why they're glaring at the men, but she's pretty sure that Ritsu has some attraction to women - he did have a crush on her after all, but he may have changed - so why would they not glare at the women too? Either way, they seem to be at least a little bit possessive. Though it's a bit odd that any smile or smirk doesn't quite to meet their eyes.

"I don't recognize him," Hikaru comments.

"May be the new student that Kyoya was so excited about," Kaoru adds, "I think he said his name is Gale Henri or something."

 _Henri_ , Haruhi thinks, _suits them_. She giggles at her little joke, considering Henri's choice of dress, but doesn't offer any explanation when the twins look at her curiously.

* * *

Different classes does put a bit of a bummer on things. Henry debates on going up to the principal and making a few suggestions about switching them over to the same class Ritsu is in. It would be fairly easily to do so.

"Bummer," Ritsu mutters, looking over Henry's shoulder at the schedule in his hands, "I know someone in 1-A though, if you don't want to be alone. Haruhi-kun is pretty cool, and they're the only one from that club I mentioned that is actually decent."

Henry raises a brow, curiosity blooming in their chest. If they just go to this class, then they could meet this 'Haruhi' that tried to help Ritsu make friends, hopefully they wouldn't want to do the same for them, but still. If they're 'friends' with Ritsu then that means they could be an ally and considering this is a pretty prestigious school with many of the students being from rich families set to take over their family's business, it could work in their favor in the future. It would help establish connections and it would look good if they were to 'befriend' someone whose friends with Ritsu. _Have to play nice with all the future-husband's 'friends' for now._

"Haruhi, huh," Henry mutters.

"Fujiko," Ritsu corrects them, "Fujiko Haruhi, they're the only one in that club that genuinely helped me. They're not easily scared off either."

So they're tough, Henry's interest piques and for a moment wonders if this Fujiko is also part of a clan.

"Guess I'll have to say hi to them then," Henry mutters.

It's not until after Henry is gone does Ritsu realize that Henry won't know that Haruhi is a girl. _Shit_. He tries his best to catch them before they reach class, but to no avail. _Damn it. Please just don't threaten them, Boone-san._


End file.
